North Koreans Clash with Ukraine for the First Time
For the first time in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian forces have directly engaged North Korean soldiers, who have been deployed to support Russian troops. The battle occurred in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, on Russian soil, according to reports from The Mandiner, citing Ukrainian intelligence and the Financial Times. The confrontation was confirmed by Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Anti-Disinformation.
The Pentagon estimates that North Korea has deployed 10 to 12 thousand troops in Russia's Kursk region and warns that the troops would become legitimate military targets, if they "engage in combat support operations against Ukraine." pic.twitter.com/QtEnpKyCOF
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 5, 2024
While details of the battle remain scarce, Ukrainian military sources suggest that the North Korean soldiers involved were of low combat value. These troops, sent to assist Russia by Pyongyang, are reportedly inexperienced and low-ranking fighters, with limited military training. The direct involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict had been uncertain until recently, but it has now become clear that they are actively participating in combat operations.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recently stated that Russian forces had trained North Korean soldiers in various military skills, including artillery operations, unmanned vehicle handling, and trench warfare. He also noted that the Kremlin is supplying these troops with Russian uniforms and equipment. The deployment of North Korean soldiers appears to be a response to Russia’s growing casualties in the war, which have reportedly exceeded 500,000, according to Pentagon estimates.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 2, 2024
Financial Times reports that South Korea decided to wait for the outcome of the U.S. election before deciding on whether to send military aid to Ukraine.
FT says Seoul's position on sending military aid has changed after North Korea joined Russia’s war against Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0BVesVLz6W
In addition to these soldiers, around 10,000 North Korean troops are believed to be heading to the frontlines, with about 4,000 more working in Russia in non-combat roles. These workers reportedly earn an average monthly wage of $800 (roughly 300,000 forints). Some reports suggest that Russia could start providing rice to North Korea in exchange for military support, as the North faces food shortages. Moscow could send up to 600,000-700,000 tons of rice annually to Pyongyang, a significant increase from the 50,000-100,000 tons previously supplied.
This direct involvement in combat for North Korea is a new development, as the country has not fought in a war since the Korean War in the early 1950s, which ended in a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty. However, North Korean pilots participated in the Vietnam War, and the country also provided military advisers to Egypt during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
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